Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or "Snow Dragon," left its home port of Shanghai Friday for Shenzhen, from where it will start its 27th Antarctic expedition on Nov. 11.

The 193-member expedition team aboard will carry out scientific research during the 142-day trip.

The vessel will first stop in Fremantle, Australia, for three days before it sails to Zhongshan Station, the second Chinese research station in the Antarctica.

During the research work at Zhongshan Station, the vessel will sail to Australia's Casey Station just outside the Antarctic Circle.

The icebreaker is expected to leave Zhongshan Station on March 1, 2011, and return to Shanghai one month later.

Xuelong, an A2 class icebreaker capable of breaking ice 1.2 meters thick, just finished its fourth scientific expedition in the Arctic Ocean.

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